


come into my world

by 10softbot



Series: our season [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Parenthood, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 04:53:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20252500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/10softbot/pseuds/10softbot
Summary: a collection of snippets into the life oh johnny, taeil and their son donghyuck – and everything else that comes in between.





	1. 382U

**Author's Note:**

> please read the first part of the series for a better understanding of the things going on in this one!  
this story will mostly be non-linear, since i'll be working on headcanons as they come.
> 
> **382U:** The first steps of Taeil being a part of Donghyuck's life: holding and feeding him for the first time

Taeil is back to Johnny’s apartment a couple days after The Talk, having promised his boyfriend to help him out while he worked on his college projects. College in itself isn’t easy, and if there is any way he can help Johnny out he will do it without ever hesitating.

There is the sound of things falling over when he knocks on the door, and when Johnny opens up for him, completely disheveled and with a rather calm Donghyuck in his arms Taeil can’t help but smile.

“Need a helping hand?” he offers, hoping the smile doesn’t come off as too awkward.

“Oh my god,” Johnny steps aside for him to come in and Taeil helps himself, stopping shortly to peck his boyfriend on the lips. “You are a lifesaver.”

“Please,” he chuckles, taking one good look around the mess that is his living room. “I’m no such thing. I just remembered you had a few projects to work on and thought you would need some help with the baby.”

“I do,” Johnny kicks the door shut. Taeil looks at the pile of books fallen over near the couch. “Really need the help. Thank you.”

He follows Johnny into his apartment and to the kitchen, where he sits Donghyuck on the dining table. Taeil snorts, hoping the toddler won’t fall over when Johnny bends down to pick up the things he – or Donghyuck – had dropped.

“Daddy,” Donghyuck calls out, sounding like he is whining. “Want water.”

“Yes, baby,” Johnny straightens out, looking for his sippy cup. “Taeil, can you– check if I left his cup in my room?”

He nods, navigating through the mess of a house, allowing himself into Johnny’s room. It is relatively clean compared to everything else outside, save for a few toys scattered on his bed. Taeil finds the neon green cup in his bedside table, empty.

“Found it,” he calls out, coming out of the room. Donghyuck is now cross-legged on the tabletop, playing with a kitchen cloth as Johnny does the dishes. He smiles to himself, filling half of the cup and handing it to the toddler. “Here, Hyuckie.”

Donghyuck squeals, a small thank you tumbling off his tongue as he throws the cloth on the floor and takes the cup up to his mouth. Taeil ruffles his hair affectionately, heart warming up when Donghyuck smiles at him through his cup.

“He’s such a good kid,” he comments, looking at Johnny’s back.

“I’m so lucky,” Johnny tells him with a hum, picking up the cloth off the floor to dry his hands. He walks over to his son, pinching his cheek lightly. “Isn’t that right? Daddy is so lucky.”

Donghyuck giggles, biting down on the plastic tip of the sippy. “Daddy is lucky.”

Johnny places a hand on his hip, pulling him just a bit closer. Taeil smiles brightly at him, into the kiss he places on his lips. “Thank you for this.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” he reassures him with a hand on his chest. “Just tell me what we are supposed to do while you do your work.”

“Well, if we’re lucky, nothing much. I was about to give him his formula,” Johnny points to the bottle sitting on the counter, “so he could take a nap while I do… everything else.”

“Alright,” Taeil says with confidence, “sounds easy enough. Go on, we’ll do fine.”

“Okay,” Johnny sounds nervous and looks very much like so. He comes eye-level with his son. “Daddy will be in his room doing his work, okay?” Donghyuck nods, big eyes looking back at him. “Taeil will give you your bottle and put you to sleep, is that okay?”

Donghyuck nods fervently, lowering his cup. “Is okay, daddy.”

“Behave, okay? And listen to everything he says.”

His son nods again, giving verbal answer to everything he says. Taeil can’t believe how lucky Johnny must have been to score such a nice kid to himself. He loves the idea of Johnny teaching him such good manners by himself.

When Johnny goes into his room, shutting the door behind him with a soft click, Taeil turns back to look at Donghyuck, who is looking right back up at him.

“Do you wanna take a nap?” Donghyuck nods, yawning on cue. Taeil stretches his hands out for him. “Come.”

He watches, pure love in his eyes, as Donghyuck carefully places his cup on the table and stretches out his arms for him. Taeil picks him up, holding him securely on his left arm as he reaches for his baby formula with his free hand.

It melts his heart to see Donghyuck getting so comfortable in his arm, adjusting himself until he is in a lying position, cheek squished against his chest. He gives Donghyuck the bottle, watching with a smile as he holds onto it with both hands and starts drinking straight away.

He adjusts his arms, holding Donghyuck so he won’t fall. He walks them out of the kitchen and towards the small balcony by the living room, enjoying the fresh air blowing against his face gently. Donghyuck seems to enjoy it too, eyes starting to slip shut as he sips on the formula.

Taeil starts singing, the song playing like a broken record in his brain from all the times his mother sang him to sleep when he was a child himself. He keeps it low as to not disturb both Donghyuck as he falls asleep and Johnny studying in the next room.

He takes the bottle back and places it on the coffee table in the living room when he notices Donghyuck has stopped drinking, body going just a bit heavier on his hold. He doesn’t put the kid down, keeps singing to him until he figures he is deep enough into sleep.

“Cute,” Taeil mumbles, mostly to himself, as he settles down on the couch, Donghyuck still asleep in his arms.

They stay like that for a while, Taeil’s heart swelling twice its size as Donghyuck cuddles closer to him.

“Hey, is everything o–”

Taeil hushes Johnny as he emerges from his room, talking way too loudly. He knows he must be concerned, probably not used to leaving his son behind to do his own thing, but Taeil fears Donghyuck will wake up as he stirs in his sleep.

“We’re good,” he whispers loudly, turning back slightly to look at him. He gives him a bright smile; would have given him a thumbs up if he was in a better position.

“He’s already asleep?” Johnny asks, eyes bulging as he walks over to them. Taeil nods, running a hand over Donghyuck’s hair and brushing it off his face. Maybe Johnny should give him a haircut. “He has never slept this fast before.”

“That means my spell worked,” he says lightly, chuckling when Johnny raises a brow at him. “Just kidding. I just sang to him until he fell asleep.”

“You sing?” he looks genuinely surprised and Taeil snorts, nodding. “Work that magic on me sometime.”

He chuckles, lowly as to not wake the toddler up. “Sure thing, lover boy. Now go back to your project, we will do just fine.”

“Alright,” Johnny pecks him on the lips, running his fingers through his son’s hair. “I think he likes you.”

Taeil’s heart skips a beat.

“Do you?”

Johnny looks at him, searching his eyes. He knows what the question implies; it can be referring to both his son and him. Taeil waits.

“Yes,” a smile blooms on his face and Taeil smiles right back at him. “A lot.”

Taeil can get used to this. Him, Johnny, Donghyuck, together like this. He can definitely get used to it.


	2. 630U

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **630U:** The first time Donghyuck goes to school

First times are never easy, and as September creeps around the corner – and with it the fall semester – Taeil notices the shift in Johnny’s nerves.

“It’s going to be his first day at school,” Johnny reasons when asked why he has gone in a manic cleaning frenzy. “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

“Babe, I don’t think you’re the one who has to be ready for this,” Taeil tells him, a hand on his shoulder trying to get him to stop moving. “Have you signed him up already?”

“No,” Johnny shakes his head, putting the cleaning cloth down and heaving a sigh. “I’ve been too busy.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“Yes,” Taeil can see him relax a bit. “My mom sent me the address for a really good one, it seems, so we might as well give it a try.”

“Okay,” he squeezes his shoulder reassuringly. “Finish your cleaning and we’ll go.”

_“Now?”_

“Johnny!”

“Okay! Alright, we’ll go!”

Waiting for Johnny to get ready to leave takes longer than actually getting Donghyuck dressed and ready to go, Taeil finds out. He tries not to think his boyfriend is overreacting, knows he is just worried for his son’s wellbeing, but getting every single piece of paper he can find in the house and shoving it into his backpack _“just in case” _seems a little too much.

“Johnny, I’ll go to the car ahead, okay?” he calls out from the front door, Donghyuck in his arms a little confused as to what is going on.

“Did you get his bag?” Johnny calls from his room. “And his formula? Water? A toy?”

“Johnny I swear to god,” he exhales. “I’ve got it. Just hurry!”

He makes his way down the building and to Johnny’s car, settling Donghyuck down on his car seat. He looks at the child lovingly, sighing, tired.

“Your dad thinks too much, did you know that?”

Donghyuck doesn’t answer, laughs at him instead, and Taeil ruffles his hair affectionately. The strands curl at the ends and he finds it goes adorably well with his round face. It takes another ten minutes of them sitting around and Donghyuck babbling something about dinosaurs until Johnny finally emerges from the building’s doors.

“Are you on a mission to outdo yourself on how long you take to get ready?” he teases, a smile playing on his lips as Johnny approaches the car. “It only took you– what is that?”

He squints at the bag hanging off Johnny’s shoulder, one he recognizes too well by now, similar to the one sitting in the back of Johnny’s car.

“His bag,” Johnny says casually, going for the driver’s door.

“No.”

Johnny frowns.

“What?”

Taeil grabs him by the arm and turns him back towards the building. “Put it back.”

“Babe, he _needs_ them.”

“Johnny,” he tries to sound firm. Johnny looks at him, hesitant. “He does not need his entire closet, nor every single one of his toys.”

“Yes.”

“Johnny, put it back!”

“Weren’t you in a hurry? Let’s get going!”

“You’re terrible!”

“Yeah, and you love me!”

It’s not like Taeil can just deny that; he does love Johnny. A lot. Maybe a bit too much.

He huffs a sigh. “Alright, let’s get going, but the bag _stays in the car!_”

Johnny doesn’t try to argue. He double-checks the seatbelt on Donghyuck’s seat, leaves the blue bag next to the green one and finally settles in his seat.

The drive isn’t a long one, the preschool a mere ten-minute drive from the apartment block. It seems clean and cozy, and as the car comes to a halt in the parking lot Taeil notices Johnny’s knuckles have gone white. He places a soothing hand over his.

“Hey, Johnny, it’s okay. It’s not his first day,” he offers a smile, “we’re just going to sign him up, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Johnny lets out a breath he didn’t really know he was holding. “Yeah, sure.”

The principal walks them around the relatively small school, explaining to them the basics of their program and how everything works. She tells them they have a daycare system, so kids can stay in school after classes while the parents are at work or at school.

She doesn’t question them about their status and Taeil feels glad for it.

“Do you have any questions?” she makes the mistake to ask.

“Ah, yes,” Taeil can feel it coming, Donghyuck holding onto his hand as he hops around them. “What is the average class size? Are the kids all nice?”

It’s starting.

“What are the visitor policies? Early release policy? If he gets sick, what is the protocol?”

The principal plasters a smile on her face.

“What about hot lunches? It’s not that important because I think I’ll be making his meals, but it’d like to know.”

“Oh my god.”

“What are the school’s values?”

Taeil offers her a sympathetic smile. “I’m so sorry.”

“What about recycling? Have you gone green?”

“Hey,” he places a hand on Johnny’s arm, pulling him off his frenzy. “I think that’s enough.”

Donghyuck looks up at them, eyes curious. When he speaks, Taeil almost dies laughing.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle!”

Johnny crouches down to eye-level, giving him a hug and ruffling his hair. “That’s my boy!”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Song, he’s just really nervous.”

She offers a friendly laugh, brushing him off. “Just Victoria is okay. It’s no trouble at all, dropping your kid off to school for the first time can be scary for many parents. To answer your questions, Johnny, our classes can hold up to 15 children, and all our kids are very nice. I don’t think your little one will have trouble blending in!”

“Your child’s safety is our number one priority. To ensure the safety and security of the children in our care, we have policies to cover pick-up and drop-off, visitors, transporting children and more. The main building entrance is secure and only people with a code can gain access, as you might have noticed, while all other doors are exit only. Each child must be checked in and out on our electronic keypad every day. In addition, anyone else who you authorize to pick up your child will be required to show identification.”

Johnny nods, paying close attention to every word she says.

“We have nurses ready to assist with anything our children might need, and if we think it is something more serious we call the parents straight away. Meals are served for every child in school unless the parents state they do not need the service. We cater every meal to the child’s age and to what the parents let us know they can or cannot eat. If you plan on making his own meals at home, please let us know.”

“Our values are at the core of who we are, and we will genuinely live our values every day with uncompromising honesty and respect for each other, the families and the community. Our teachers and staff are passionate and dedicated so we guarantee that no family will leave our center dissatisfied, and through excellent communication, we work cooperatively as a team to create the best environment possible. As a cohesive team, each member is dependable, flexible and accountable while exhibiting respect for the rest of the team.”

“And as to you last question,” Taeil finds it a bit disturbing how she hasn’t rubbed the smile off her face even after talking so much, “our mission is to provide preschool education and childcare, which in turn enhances and strengthens society. To further this mission, we also recognize the importance of preserving the Earth.

As a result, we are providing education about recycling, saving energy, reusing materials, reducing consumption, and planting vegetation. In addition to learning about environmental awareness and social responsibility, this provides more opportunities for children to practice developmental skills such as classification, matching, sorting, sequencing and critical thinking.”

“Great!” Johnny exclaims, a big smile on his lips, matching the principal’s. “That’s all so great, wow.” He turns to Taeil, eyes twinkling. “Remind me to call my mom to thank her later.”

Taeil gives him a smile and a thumbs up.

Johnny crouches down again, holding his son in place. “Hyuck, baby, do you like it in here?”

Hyuck nods, eyes just and shiny as his father’s. “Yes, daddy! I like it!”

“Well, I guess that’s all we need to know,” Taeil tells the principal while Johnny plays with his son for a while. “Can we sign him up?”

“Of course!” Victoria answers excitedly. “We would love to have Hyuck with us from now on! Let’s go to my office so we can settle it all, okay?”

Half an hour later and too many papers signed, the principal guides them out of her office. They know Donghyuck is starting to get sleepy by the way he keeps whining and clinging to their bodies, yawning more often than not.

“The semester starts next Monday,” she pinches his cheeks as he dozes off in Johnny’s arms, “we hope to see Donghyuck with us then!”

“Thank you so much,” Taeil replies for the both of them, shaking her hand when Johnny can’t. “We’ll see you on Monday!”

“Thank you,” Johnny whispers loudly as they exit the building. She waves at them, smile still unwavering.

The drive back home is rather silent, Donghyuck fast asleep in the backseat. It puts Taeil at ease to see Johnny feeling more relaxed than he had been that morning.

Monday rolls around and everything starts again. It is barely past five when Johnny gets off bed and starts cleaning the entire apartment, Taeil still asleep in his bed. Johnny had invited him over for the weekend, and he decided to stick around for Donghyuck’s first day of school.

Taeil’s alarm rings at half past six and, by then, Johnny has already cleaned the entire kitchen and most of the living room. Taeil finds Donghyuck still asleep in his crib by the bed, hugging his favorite stuffed hippo.

“Johnny,” he calls out once he’s out of the room, voice still thick with sleep. “What are you doing?”

“Cleaning,” he replies simply, giving him a quick peck on the lips before moving on to the couch. “Felt too nervous, had to get off bed to do something.”

Taeil takes a look around, at every shiny surface in the apartment. It is like dust has never been close to any of them, ever.

“At six?”

“Since five, actually,” Johnny has the decency to look apologetic. “I think I’ve pre-made Hyuck enough meals to last the entire week, I’ve also dusted every nook and cranny and swept the entire floor.”

“Babe,” Taeil tries, feeling tired for him. “Please relax.”

“I’ve tried,” he clutches hard onto a cushion, “didn’t work. Had to keep myself busy.”

“Well, we both have class soon and we need to drop him off really soon.” Johnny looks at him like he is about to have a nervous breakdown. “Go wake him up and get him ready, I’ll finish the cleaning for you.”

Johnny does as told, but only after rearranging the same pillow another three times. Taeil sighs when he goes back into his room, picking up where his boyfriend had left off. There isn’t really much to do anymore, all the toys put away in the toy box and the apartment looking pristine clean.

He can’t help but roll his eyes when he notices Johnny used half a bottle of Windex in one morning.

“Are you ready?” Taeil calls out almost an hour later, tying his shoelaces by the front door, Donghyuck sitting quietly on the couch with his backpack hung on his shoulders. He looks cute, too cute.

“Coming!” Johnny yells, stumbling on his way out of the bathroom. “Did we get everything?”

“Yes.”

“His lunch?”

“Johnny.”

“Spare clothes?”

“Johnny!”

Johnny blinks at him, surprised at the sudden rise of tone.

“We need to leave, dear.”

They do, but only after Johnny fusses about something Taeil chooses not to pay attention to, instead directing his attention to help Donghyuck go down the stairs. It takes some time but they manage, Donghyuck holding tightly onto his hand and the rail, fascinated with the way his shoes light up every time he goes down another step.

“Think the shoes are gonna be too distracting?” Johnny decides to ask only after Donghyuck is settled in his seat, the three of them watching it blink in different colors. Taeil snorts.

“Yeah, like a whole lot.” Johnny deflates, groaning as he hits his head against the car. “Hey, it’s okay. At least your son will surely be the coolest kid in that building.”

Donghyuck’s peculiar request of the day is for them to play classical music and riding to class to the sound of Tchaikovsky was certainly not something Taeil ever pictured himself doing. Taeil keeps glancing back the entire ride, the small child headbanging like it was a rock concert to the sound of violins playing.

“He’s so funny,” Taeil snorts, turning back around to face the road.

Johnny chuckles. “I know.”

“Just like his dad.”

Taeil doesn’t miss the smile trying to creep up Johnny’s face as he tries to hold back, shoulders shaking with the effort of keeping his laughter in. He places a gentle hand on his thigh, squeezing is lightly, trying to say, _everything is going to be okay._

He knows Johnny still feels nervous; he just hopes he will help ease it all for him.

They get to the school twenty minutes before the bell rings, and Johnny barely manages to hug his soon goodbye before the boy is running off to the other children, not looking back at them. When Johnny gets on his feet again, there is a pout on his lips.

Taeil can’t help but laugh at him.

“Are you upset?”

“Yes,” Johnny whines, bringing him into a hug since he can’t do it to his own son. “I really thought he was going to cry or something! He barely even kissed me!”

“You big baby,” Taeil coos at him, pecking him on the lips once. “We should get going, we have class soon too.”

“Did everything go okay?” he asks into the phone, balancing the device on his shoulder as he fetches food from his nearly empty fridge. He should go grocery shopping soon.

_“We just got home_,” he can hear Donghyuck squealing in the background. _“He looks like he’s been rolling around in mud all day.”_

“He sounds very excited.”

_“Think he made a new friend; he wouldn’t stop talking about the kid.”_ Johnny sounds exhausted. _“He asked about you the moment he ran into my legs.”_

Taeil doesn’t miss the way he can feel his heartstrings being pulled.

“Sorry I couldn’t be there,” he apologizes for maybe the fifth time that day. Johnny hums at him. “I’ve got quite a lot of papers to work on.”

_“Hey, it’s okay_,” Johnny reassures. _“Come over for dinner when you have time, yeah? He misses you.”_

Taeil lets a small smile sit on his lips. “Does his dad miss me too?”

He can hear the smile on Johnny’s voice when he says, _“of course I do.”_

There is the sound of something dropping on the floor on the other end of the line, and Taeil can perfectly picture Donghyuck pushing something off a reachable surface. He can hear Johnny hesitating on the line, probably unsure of what to do.

“Go get him,” he decides for the both of them. “Give him a nice shower and put him to sleep. We’ll talk later, okay?”

_“Yeah, fuck, thanks.”_

“Language,” he says lightly.

“I love you, Taeil. Thank you for everything.”

This time, Taeil allows his smile to broaden. It feels too big to fit in his own face.

“I love you, Johnny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any hc request for this entire thing, please feel free to drop them on my cc!! thank you for giving this family some love!!  
[twitter](twitter.com/10softbot)  
[curiouscat](http://curiouscat.me/10softbot)  



	3. 3945U

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **3945U:** The first time Donghyuck calls Taeil papa

It has been over a year since all of this started; Taeil being a part of their lives, blending in so perfectly with them. Donghyuck has turned four only a couple days ago, limbs growing as fast as his hair, and trying to fit the three of them into a single bed is starting to become a struggle.

“You need to move out,” Taeil comments, Donghyuck dozing off against Johnny’s chest, small fingers playing with the strings of Johnny’s sweater. “He needs his own bed; you can’t keep sleeping with him every night now that he doesn’t fit in a crib anymore.”

Johnny sighs, petting his son’s hair. “I know. I’ve been looking for a place, I promise. It’s just… hard. I’m attached to this one.”

Taeil rolls his eyes, snuggling closer to them, resting his head on Johnny’s arm when the other stretches it out for him. “I know you’ve made a lot of memories with him–”

“–with us–”

“–in this apartment but you need a bigger space. You’re no longer in college, you have a stable job, he needs space to grow.” Taeil tries not to sound like he is lecturing his boyfriend, but he can’t really help it. “You know he deserves better than this. _You_ deserve better than this.”

“Will you help me?” Taeil raises a brow. “Pick a bigger place. I want your opinion on it, too.”

“Of course,” he stretches up to peck Johnny on the lips, careful not to disturb the sleeping baby. “I have Wednesday off from the magazine, if that fits in your schedule.”

“We can make it work,” Johnny smiles, and he can’t help but smile back. They always make it work.

It’s quiet for a while save for Donghyuck’s light snoring, Johnny close to falling asleep himself. He quite likes days like these, when they can just stay in bed doing nothing, the weight of the world off their shoulders. Sundays are always lazy like this.

Light filters through the blinds, shining warmly over their skin, and the soft glow has Taeil itching to take a picture.

So he does.

He is careful as he moves around the cramped bed, looking for his phone. He would love to take an actual film picture of the moment, but his camera is deep in his bag all the way in the living room and there is no way he is leaving this very bed for it.

He tries his best to capture the feeling through the lens of his phone’s camera, how warm and cozy both Johnny and Donghyuck are while they lay next to him. It’s not nearly as breathtaking, but he thinks it’s enough to keep it as a memory.

He doesn’t know how much time passes; it could have been minutes or hours, he doesn’t really care. It feels like time has stopped and the world has stopped moving; in that moment, it’s just the three of them.

Taeil tries not to get carried away, afraid everything will slip right through his fingers. It has been so long, all of this, and yet it feels like no time at all. He is still afraid of losing this, losing _them_.

He will never say it out loud.

“Your thoughts are so loud,” Johnny groans, slipping off sleep, adjusting Donghyuck on his chest.

“Yeah?” Taeil knows he is joking, the other probably being awaken by the way Taeil’s fingers twist the fabric of his sweatshirt. “Didn’t mean to wake you up.”

As if on cue, Donghyuck stirs awake as well, sounding like he’s about to cry.

“Hey,” Johnny coos, stroking his hair, luring him off his post-nap haze. “Hello, baby.”

Donghyuck blinks up at Johnny, lifting his upper body just slightly, then turning to look at Taeil. The boy smiles, letting his body fall back on his dad, seeming content to be where he is.

Taeil smiles back at him, pinching his cheek lightly. “Hello, Hyuckie.”

“Hi,” he replies groggily, smile still playing on his lips.

“Did you sleep well?” Johnny prods, nudging a finger to his cheek. Donghyuck nods, eyes threatening to slip shut again. “What did you dream about?”

“Daddy,” he replies, blindly placing a hand on Johnny’s face.

“Oh? What about?”

“In the park,” Donghyuck pauses to yawn, “playing with Hyuckie.”

“Do you wanna go?” Taeil asks, scratching his scalp. “Wanna go play in the park with your dad?”

Donghyuck nods, trying to seem more awake. He is so cute. “Yes, I want to!”

Despite seeming eager, the child makes no effort on getting off his father and the bed altogether, so they don’t either. They stay just like that, listening to Donghyuck ramble about the crazy dreams he had; something with dragons and castles. Taeil lost track of it by the fourth story.

“Papa,” Donghyuck squeals loudly, pulling Taeil off his trance. He thinks the boy is calling for Johnny, that maybe Johnny has fallen back into sleep, but his throat closes when he realizes he isn’t. Donghyuck is looking at him, directly in his eyes, reaching out to place his hand on his cheek. Taeil doesn’t know what is going on, why his heart is threatening to stop beating, why there is a tingling sensation behind his eyelids when Donghyuck pulls him closer and closer until his lips are touching the tip of his nose. A kiss. “Mwah!”

He knows the wetness he feels on his cheeks can only mean he is crying, and he doesn’t try to stop himself from doing so. He lets out one single sob before he grabs Donghyuck’s hand that rests on his cheek, pressing one, two, three kisses into his tiny palm.

He looks up at Johnny, finds him looking just as surprised as he feels, tears threatening to spill over his red-rimmed eyes. Taeil laughs, incredulous, looking back down at a smiling Donghyuck.

“Hyuck, what did you just say?” Johnny bounces the child on his chest, trying to get his attention. “What did you just call Taeil?”

“Papa,” Donghyuck repeats, sounding just as confident. “He is my papa, right daddy?”

“Oh my god,” Taeil breaks out a sob, trying hard to hold it all in. He looks at Johnny again, and this time he finds pure joy in his boyfriend’s face.

“Yes,” Johnny answers, placing a kiss on top of his head. “Yes, he is.”

Taeil reaches for Donghyuck, bringing him into his arms and hugging him tightly, kissing every expanse of skin his lips can reach. Donghyuck giggles loudly, the sound echoing through the small apartment.

In that moment, right before time starts moving again, Taeil is sure he has found his lifetime happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any hc request for this entire thing, please feel free to drop them on my cc!!  
[twitter](twitter.com/10softbot)  
[curiouscat](http://curiouscat.me/10softbot)  



	4. 1145TN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **1145TN:** Donghyuck's doctor visit
> 
> (only that i kind of cheated with this one)

It’s half past two when Johnny jolts awake from sleep, the signs of an upcoming crying fit gaining volume by the minute. He never really expects his two-year-old son to sleep the entire night, he isn’t delusional like that, but it has been barely an hour since he managed to put the baby back to sleep.

He pads over to the crib, standing by his bed in the cramped space of his bedroom, only to see Donghyuck wide awake, round eyes looking up at him. It feels like the spell breaks the second his son sees him, wailing loudly as tears run down his face.

“Oh no,” he tries to push down the panic threating to rise in his chest, reaching down to pick up the child. “Oh no, baby, what’s wrong?”

He doesn’t expect him to reply but talking always helps soothe him out. This time, though, is different and it only makes Donghyuck cry louder.

“Are you in pain?” he reaches for his phone in his bed as he makes his way out of the room. “How am I supposed to know where it hurts?”

His first thought, as he approaches the living room couch, is to call his mother. Only that, right now, she is probably asleep somewhere in Japan. He knows it would be the reasonable thing to call her and ask her what he’s supposed to do when his son won’t stop crying for a second, but he also knows that if he so much as hears her voice right now he is going to break down crying.

He doesn’t want to make her worry during her vacation.

He sits down on the couch, Donghyuck squirming in his arms. Johnny notices him shiver, cheeks running red under the living room lights, and when he checks his forehead it feels like he’s burning.

“Oh no,” he swallows down the tears trying to spill, “what do I do?”

He puts Donghyuck down on the cushion next to him, yanks his own sweater off his body and wraps his son with it. It’s not ideal nor appropriate, but he is definitely not going back into his room just to grab a blanket.

“What do I do?” panic rises in his chest, Donghyuck still crying even after being put into the warmest cocoon.

He unlocks his phone, scrolling down his contacts, trying to find someone to call. He doesn’t have any pediatrician’s number and only now he realizes how stupid that is of him, to have left his mother in charge of all the important numbers he would come to need.

He stops scrolling, finger hovering over the single person he knows would pick up his calls no matter what time of the day he called. With a shaky sigh, he hits call.

_“Hello?”_ comes the voice after the third ring, and Johnny feels the dam break. _“Johnny, are you okay?”_

“I don’t know what to do,” he tries to remain as calm as his tears will let him, hoping Donghyuck’s crying will still allow him to be heard. “Ten, I don’t know what to do.”

_“Why is Donghyuck crying?”_ he knows Ten is trying not to sound alarmed. _“Why are you crying?”_

“Something’s wrong. He woke up crying and he’s shivering. I think he’s got a fever; it feels like he’s burning. I don’t know what to do, Ten, please help me.”

_“Fuck, okay, uhm,” _by the loud scratching of chair on tiled floor Johnny knows Ten hasn’t gone home yet. _“I’m still in the lab but– I know someone. I’ll be there as soon as possible, okay?”_

He tries to calm down his breathing. “Okay.”

_“Try to give him some water, alright? Keep him hydrated.”_

“I’ll try.” There is the sound of a keypad ringing – likely Ten rushing out of the lab. Johnny feels grateful. “Hey, Ten? Thank you.”

_“In a heartbeat,”_ is the last thing he says before he hangs up.

Waiting feels like the longest stretch of time in his life, especially when his son refuses most of the water he tries to give him. He can’t tell anymore if the reddening in his skin is from the fever or from crying too much, and even though the baby no longer has tears to shed he still looks just as uncomfortable as before.

Twenty minutes seem like two hours when a child is crying and sick, Johnny finds out. He is about to call Ten again when there is knocking on his door. Relief washes over his body, tears sticky on his face where they are still rolling down.

He balances Donghyuck in one arm and opens the door with the other, glad to see his best friend standing outside. Ten looks worried, a bit stressed, and Johnny feels bad for doing this to him.

“Don’t even try,” Ten starts, raising a hand, frowning when he looks at his face. “Don’t even try to feel bad for me. I’m alright, let’s get inside.”

Johnny steps aside, allowing Ten and his friend to walk into the apartment.

“This is Yuta,” Ten gestures to the guy standing beside him. He is taller than Ten but definitely shorter than him. He looks like Ten pulled him straight out of bed, pajama pants cladding his legs. “He’s in pre-med, and though he’s not a real doctor–”

“–yet,” Yuta interjects.

“–I’m sure he can help you with Hyuck.”

“Thank you,” he tries, fighting back a fresh batch of tears.

Yuta offers a blinding smile. “It’s no problem at all… Johnny, right?” he nods. “Right. Can we get him to your bed so I can take a look at him?”

“Of course, it’s– the door on the right,” he points with his chin towards the door, holding Donghyuck close to his chest.

“Hey,” Ten whispers, placing a hand on his elbow as they walk into the room. “It’s gonna be okay.”

He hands Donghyuck to Yuta, who lies him on his mattress and starts undoing the improvised blanket to get it off his body. Ten pulls him to the side and almost out of the room, hand still on his elbow.

It’s only when Ten tugs on him to get a good look at his face that Johnny realizes how hard he has been trying not to cry, chest shaking as he tries to hold it all in. All it takes is a hug from Ten for him to breakdown again. Arms wrapping over the shoulders of his friend.

“It’s okay,” Ten tells him, running his palms over his back, “everything’s gonna be okay, big boy.”

“I’m so fucking stupid,” he tries to dry up his runny nose with the back of his hand, “so fucking stupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” the other tries to reassure him, “you’re just… a very young dad. You’re 21, okay, it’s okay to not have all the answers in the world.”

“I don’t think I can do this.”

Ten frowns, pulling back and slapping him hard on the chest, hard enough to make it sting. Johnny doesn’t try to fight him. “Now you listen here, you stupid fucker–”

“Guys,” Yuta calls out, giving them _a look._ “Keep it down.”

“You take that back right now,” Ten hisses, digging his finger into his chest. “This kid is the light of your fucking life and he makes you the happiest I’ve ever seen you be. He’s just falling sick, okay? This is not the end of the world.”

“I don’t even have a doctor’s number, Tennie.”

Ten rolls his eyes at him. “Okay, yeah, maybe you were stupid as shit for that one, but we all make mistakes. You can’t expect to do everything perfectly, that’s just not realistic. This isn’t a movie, Johnny, and things won’t go smooth all the time. Now do us all a favor and stop crying, yeah? Donghyuck is gonna be okay.”

“Johnny?” calls Yuta, a small smile on his lips. He tries his best to clean up his face. Ten snorts at him. “Everything is gonna be fine, okay?”

“See!”

Yuta glares at Ten.

“It looks like an upper respiratory tract infection–”

“Yuta! Don’t scare him like that!”

“–which is just a fancy way of saying common cold.”

Johnny allows himself to sigh in relief. He barely registers his son has stopped crying.

“The fever seems to be reactive. We should just get him some paracetamol syrup; that's over the counter, don’t worry. I’ve given him a dosage of the one I brought with me just in case, but I need to take it back to my dorm so a pharmacy run as soon as you wake up would be ideal.”

“Oh my god,” he can feel his knees grow weak, body sliding down the wall as he collapses on the floor. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem at all, I promise. Ten told me it was an emergency, and I’m glad you called him when you did. Just gotta make sure the little guy’s well-hydrated yeah?”

Johnny pulls him down and into a hug, finally allowing himself to relax. “Thank you so much, Yuta. I owe you my life.”

Yuta laughs, patting him lightly in the awkward position. “I’d rather you keep yourself alive for your son.”

“Come on, Johnny,” Ten offers a hand, “get off the floor and go put your son to sleep.”

It doesn’t take long until Donghyuck has fully calmed down and fallen back asleep, breathing unsteady but with the fever slowly going down. He takes all the help Yuta offers, writes down everything he needs to remember and saves his number on his phone.

It is almost four when they bid goodbye by the front door, Yuta going ahead of Ten, saying he needs to catch some sleep before his morning class. Johnny apologizes for keeping him up so late and thanks him again, and Yuta just brushes him off with a smile before he is going down the stairs.

“You should go, too,” he tells Ten, pushing him out of his apartment. The shorter hesitates, turning back to face him.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? You know I can if you want me to.”

“No, Tennie, it’s okay, I promise.” Ten gives him a look that says he doesn’t fully buy it. He ruffles his hair, making the other growl at him. “You were in the lab at two in the morning, I’m pretty sure you have more important things to do, as well as catch some sleep.”

“Very little things are more important to me than you,” he states matter-of-factly. “But if you don’t want me to stay then I’ll respect that. Call me if you need help, okay?”

“I will.” Ten squints at him. “I will! I promise!”

With a sigh, he heads towards the stairs. “Good night, Johnny. Give Hyuck a kiss for uncle Ten.”

“Good night, Ten.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we meet 2 more from the gang! yuten stem majors for the win!
> 
> if you have any hc request for this entire thing, please feel free to drop them on my cc!!  
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	5. 9342C

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **9342C:** Taeil meeting Mama Seo for the first time

He can’t remember the last time he felt this anxious.

Scratch that, he can. It was during his and Johnny’s first coffee date, all those months ago, when he thought his soul was going to leave his body. He can’t believe how naïve he was, to think that was the most nervous he was ever going to feel.

Right now, as they sit in Johnny’s car, he is sure this is way worse. Way, way worse. He feels like he is going to puke, stomach tied in tight knots threatening to crawl up his throat as he clings to his seat. Donghyuck is already fast asleep in the back seat, head heavy where it rests against his baby seat. Taeil wonders how the kid manages to fall asleep two minutes into every ride.

He would love to think he has no reason to feel nervous, but as they drive further out of the city his heart feels like it is slowly stopping to beat. He should definitely be nervous. Johnny is bringing him home for the first time, and there are real chances his parents won’t like him.

And that should be okay, really. They are not children who need their parents’ approval to date, but it would still be really nice if they could get along and live in harmony together. The possibility that it might not happen kills him inside.

“Can you please stop worrying so much,” asks Johnny, softly, taking his eyes off the road very briefly just to cast him a glance when Taeil lets the silence stretch for too long. “Everything is going to be fine, I promise you.”

And Taeil tries to believe him. He really does his best, although his best doesn’t seem to be enough right now. As Johnny rolls into a rather large house’s driveway he can feel it all coming back, his stomach twisting with uneasiness.

It’s when they are almost at the door, a still half-asleep Donghyuck in his arms as Johnny carries his too many bags, words threatening to choke him to death that he pulls Johnny by the sleeve of his shirt and to the side, palms feeling sweating and heart pounding in his ribcage.

“Do they know?” his lips feel dry and his throat even drier.

Johnny gives him a funny look, not quite getting the question.

“About what?”

“About you,” he tries, and he knows it doesn’t sound right. “About… me. You not being straight.” He is going to punch himself on the face. “Are you out to them?”

He doesn’t expect Johnny to beam so much at him. “Yeah, baby, they know.” The taller laughs, light and airy. “I told you to stop worrying so much.”

Johnny unlocks the door with a bit of a struggle, dropping his bags on the floor the moment he takes off his shoes. Taeil follows closely, albeit a bit hesitant, toeing off his sneakers by the door. He tries not to jump in surprise when a squeal cuts through the house, Johnny’s mom walking into the living room right after.

“Oh my god, Youngho!” she rushes across the room, taking the bags with just one hand. Taeil tries– and fails– not to be impressed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming over!” She hits him on the arm with her free hand, scolding, no real heat to her words.

“_Ow_, mom!”

She pushes him to the side, turning towards Taeil and her grandson, petting the child’s hair. He can see the world sparkle in her eyes, with the way she smiles at Donghyuck. “And who is this young man?” her eyes flit to Taeil and he can feel his heart slowly stop beating. “Are you the one who stole my dear son’s heart?”

Taeil quickly glances at Johnny, mildly panicking, only to see a blush painting his cheeks. He offers her a smile, shy, a blush of his own creeping up on his face. “I’m Taeil,” he manages to say, throat dry, heart hammering in his chest.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Taeil!” she gives him a smile that is just as warm as her entire presence. She tickles Donghyuck, trying to pick him up. The child giggles softly, still half asleep, but otherwise clinging to Taeil’s shoulder. “My grandson seems to have taken a strong liking to you, too. He doesn’t even want to come to me.” She’s not angry, he can see it in her smile. “I see you’re treating my boys very well.”

“Mom!” Johnny whines, trying to take the bags off her hands. She pushes him again, giving him half a glare.

“Oh, come on, Youngho, let me have this moment.” She turns back to Taeil, placing a hand on his shoulder. The lines on her face are as soft as her voice. “You see, Taeil, I haven’t seen my son with anyone after that whole… debacle in America.” Taeil glances at Johnny again only to find him staring at the floor, biting the insides of his cheeks. “It’s good to see him happy.”

“Ah,” he adjusts his hold on Donghyuck, the boy getting heavy as he starts falling back asleep. He doesn’t know what to say. “Thank you…?”

“Dear,” a male voice cuts in, Johnny’s father rounding the corner soon after. Despite looking serious he still manages to have a smile on his lips, one that grows bigger when he sees Donghyuck. “Leave the kids alone, they must be tired.”

Taeil tries his best to bow at him with Donghyuck in his arms, feeling like his heart will beat itself out of his ribcage if his anxiety works a second longer. Mr. Seo comes too close for comfort but Taeil can’t exactly complain when he is the one holding his grandson. He notices that, despite not letting it show or voicing it out if he approves of Taeil or not, all he seems to care about is that both Donghyuck and Johnny are happy.

“He’s a sucker for his family,” Johnny tells him later that night, after dinner and when everyone else is asleep. The day was hectic, with Donghyuck running around the house after his nap and getting too close to the pool, sending both him and Johnny’s mother into panic.

Johnny’s father had been there all the time, in the background, with Johnny, watching them play all day. Some time after three in the afternoon Taeil had managed to push his anxiety to the back of his mind, instead focusing on making Donghyuck happy all day.

“I was afraid they wouldn’t like me,” he murmurs, burying his face deeper into Johnny’s chest, “or approve of me.”

He thinks to tell Johnny about his own family but figures right now isn’t the right time. He will, though, when the time seems fit.

“I told you they would like you,” Johnny whispers into his hair, legs tangled under the sheets.

For the first time since waking up that day, Taeil feels a weight being lifted off his shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any hc request for this entire thing, please feel free to drop them on my cc!!  
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	6. 4277C

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **4277C:** Taeil’s mother finding out about Johnny and Donghyuck

Taeil thinks the amount of good luck he has in his life is directly proportional to the amount of bad karma he has. It is like life picks the most importune moments to throw things right back in his face, and he couldn’t be more displeased at that. 

Meeting Johnny’s parents was quite the experience, and although he is happy they were so welcoming of him, he can’t help but feel bitter about the experience entirely. It is no one’s fault but his own– he can’t blame Johnny for being curious and asking about his parents after that. 

He dismisses Johnny every time he asks, not feeling quite ready to open up just yet, and he is glad Johnny is ever so understanding to drop the topic right after. 

But karma is a bitch, and he gets proof of that one Tuesday afternoon. 

He has Johnny splayed on his living room floor, a babbling Donghyuck sitting on Johnny’s chest as they play. With every bounce of his small body Donghyuck asks for more, laughter filling up the room as Johnny bounces him up and down. 

Taeil’s heart feels warm. 

There is a knocking on his door, followed not a second later by his doorbell ringing three times. Taeil is quick on his feet, rushing to the door if only to stop the noise. He isn’t really expecting anyone, and Yuta isn’t one to show unannounced considering how busy he usually is. 

He twists the doorknob and throws the door open, only to freeze in place as soon as he sees who it is. 

“Babe, who is it?” Johnny asks loudly from somewhere behind him when he opens the door but doesn’t hear anything coming from him. 

Taeil feels– and probably looks– terrified. This is like one of those worst-case scenarios, the ones you consider once but think will never actually happen to you. 

His mother stands before him, a frown between her brows, perplexed. She looks over his shoulder and Taeil can’t move, hand glued to the knob and feet to the ground as she watches Johnny get up on his feet, Donghyuck secure in his arms. 

There is fire in her eyes and Taeil wishes the ground would open up and swallow him whole. He can see the engines turning in her head as she tries to make sense of the scene before her. 

He feels like he is going to faint. 

“Who— oh,” he can hear the drop in Johnny's voice, knows he can recognize her from the pictures Taeil has stored in a box in the back of his closet. Taeil is shaking as he holds the door open. "I'll leave you two alone." 

And Taeil is grateful Johnny retreats to his room so he doesn't have to hear the terrible things his mother has to say about him. 

“What kind of sick joke is this?” she spits out as she pushes past him and into his apartment, frantic as she glances around at all the toys scattered in his living room floor. Taeil hadn’t noticed how much of Johnny’s life has seeped into his own. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” he says, quiet, trying not to break down into a nervous wreck. 

“_'__Babe'__? _” she repeats, disgust clear in her voice. Taeil is going to be sick. “Who is he?” 

“It’s none of your business.” 

“And he has a _ child? _” she scoffs. “Wasn’t it enough for you to kill me once? Isn’t keeping me from having a grandchild enough for you? You’re disgusting.” 

“Shut up,” he grits out, but she doesn’t. 

“This is an absurd. Don’t you think it’s wrong enough for you to be with a man?” it feels like he can’t breathe, like the room is closing up on him. “You have to go and pick one who was irresponsible enough to have a child when he shouldn’t.” 

“Don’t open your mouth to talk about him,” Taeil is glad Johnny isn’t there to see him cry. “You know _ nothing _ about Johnny, about us ,” he shouldn’t be raising his voice, but he can’t stop himself from screaming. “And you know, mom, loving someone isn’t a _ choic _ _ e _. I didn’t choose to be this way. For so many years—” 

His voice breaks and he hates it. “For so many years I thought I was broken, that I needed to be fixed, because _ you _ never loved me for being who I am. For so many years I thought I was wrong, and Johnny was the first person to show me I wasn’t, who made me feel like maybe things aren’t so bad after all. He is the first person who made me feel _ loved, _ and I’m not going to let you take this away from me.” 

More than anything, Taeil is glad Johnny isn’t there to see his mother raise her hand and strike him across the cheek. His skin stings but not nearly as much as his heart does. 

“Get out,” is the last things he says through gritted teeth before she storms right out of his apartment. 

Johnny is out of the bedroom the second he hears the front door slam shut. He is right there for him, pulling into his arms and into the warmest of hugs as Taeil shakes, tears staining his cheeks. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” Johnny quietly tells him as he pulls Taeil into his room. “We’re gonna be okay.” 

Taeil breaks. He breaks as he cries into Johnny’s arms, as Donghyuck walks up to them on his bed as wraps his tiny arms around their bodies. 

“Is it going to be okay, papa,” Donghyuck tells him despite not knowing what is going on. 

Taeil laughs, picking the child up in his arms, placing a kiss on his cheek and Donghyuck laughs, too, placing one of his own on Taeil’s wet cheek. Johnny kisses him on the lips, soft, and Taeil smiles just as softly. 

He believes him. He believes them. They have one another and it should be enough. 

It _ is _ enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got questions about taeil's family with the last update, and my heart aches every time i think about it. life isn't always rainbows, but taeil's found family will sure help him through it. i love them.
> 
> if you have any hc request for this entire thing, please feel free to drop them on my cc!!  
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**Author's Note:**

> if you have any hc request for this entire thing, please feel free to drop them on my cc!! i'll love to share all the things i have planned for this little family  
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[curiouscat](http://curiouscat.me/10softbot)  



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